13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Aidan
“Fine.”
Tongue in cheek, I resist the urge to grin at the fiery woman and lift my chin.
“I’ll just let them know I’m driving you home.”
I don’t give her the chance to go back on her word and walk back into the kitchen. If I weren’t simmering with impatience, I’d take the time to grin at the way both my parents jump away from the doorway, not even hiding that they’ve been listening in on my near argument with Maeve.
I scan the kitchen but can’t find Katie anywhere.
“Where’s Katie?”
Dad clears his throat. “She just went upstairs to fetch her homework.”
I nod, glad that she’s not around to hear what I have to say to her grandparents. I jerk my finger behind me and look between them.
“I’m taking Maeve home, and when I get back, we need to have a serious talk about your meddling.”
Mum raises her hands. “Aidan, dear…”
“Not now, Mum.” I bite back my irritation. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes. Please tell Katie.”
She works her lips between her teeth but nods.
“Of course.”
“Thanks.”
Maeve might still be a virtual stranger, but I’m quickly learning that she’s as stubborn as a mule. I can practically see the smoke of indignation puffing out of her ears, but I’m not going to relent on my offer to drive her home.
Offer is also the wrong word for it.
Demand is more accurate.
But no woman, no matter how capable she is, is going home alone in the dark after having stayed over for dinner. Not even one I’m determined to keep a safe distance from.
I grab my coat from the hook and shrug it on while opening the door for her. She stomps past me with such force that her hair swirls around her, and I can’t stop my lips from curling into a smirk. I shut the door and hurry after her through the soft evening drizzle.
She stops in front of the passenger side of my car, and I quickly school my features.
“It’s not locked.”
She wrenches the door open, still refusing to talk with me, steps up, and slides inside. I clench my teeth, prepared for the loud banging of the door, but she surprises me again when all I can hear is a soft click when she pulls it closed.
As I walk to the opposite side to get in, I wonder how long she’s going to give me the silent treatment. But she forgets that I live with an almost-preteen.
Two can play that game.
I start the car and put it in reverse. “Seatbelt.”
“You don’t have to tell me that.”
I crane my neck and chance a glance at her.
The rosy heat in her cheeks is both adorable and alluring, and I wrench my gaze away from her.
I appreciate her getting her temper in check by taking care not to pull too hard on the seatbelt, but her jerky movements give her annoyance away.
Without another word, I back out of the driveway, put the car in first, and then race off.
It’s a short drive, and before we reach our destination, I have something that I need to say.
“I know you think I man-handled you back at the farm, but I had to get some alone time with you, and this was the only way to get it.”
“What’s so important that it couldn’t wait?”
I sink my teeth into my lower lip and rub my neck.
“My parents can be very…”
“Very?”
“Persuasive people.”
“In what way?”
I tighten my hands on the wheel.
“They tend to play matchmaker. Often.”
Laughter fills the tight space, and my chest tightens from the sound of her husky voice. I let it wash over me for a moment, basking in it, before I switch gears.
“Not funny,” I mutter.
“Oh, but it is.”
“Well, I don’t think so, and since I’m the one having to bear the brunt of it, my opinion is the only one that matters.”
“You can’t be serious,” she scoffs. She keeps quiet for a couple of seconds, and when I next chance another glance in her direction, her eyes are no longer amused. They’re as big as teacups instead. “But wait, does that mean…”
I grunt. “Now, you’re catching on. It means that my sweet, loving parents have set their sights on you now, and we need to ensure that they forget their plans immediately.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
I raise my eyes in wonder and push down on the brake. When the car stops, I turn in my seat. I need to see her face when we have this conversation.
“Really?”
She mirrors my pose. “Really. The last thing I need right now is romance.” She wrinkles her nose. “In fact, I’m pretty sure I won’t ever be interested in dating you.”
I wince.
“Ah, thank you. I think.”
She rolls her eyes, and unfortunately, it only makes me grin harder. Bloody hell.
“Don’t get your boxers in a twist. I…”
“How do you know I wear boxers?”
She sighs.
“I didn’t mean for it to come out the way it did. I only meant that I’m not interested in you like that. That I’m happy with us being friends.”
I lean closer and peer into her eyes. “And I don’t want you to misunderstand me, but I’m not interested in dating you, either.”
Her eyes fill with satisfaction. “Good. So, what’s the plan now?”
“The plan?”
“For letting your parents down gently.”
“There’s no plan. I just want us both to agree that all their matchmaking attempts will either have to be thwarted on the spot, or…”
“Or...?”
“Or at least we’ll know that their efforts won’t amount to anything. That the lines won’t get blurred.”
She nods, staring off in the distance. “Won’t they think it’s odd if we don’t protest too hard, or just go with whatever they come up with to put us in the same path?”
I tip my hand from side to side. “Nah, they won’t. They’re not exactly great at the matchmaking thing. They just think that if they push us together enough, we’ll end up seeing things from their perspective.”
“So, they’re more like nudgers.”
“Never heard that word before, but, oddly enough, it makes sense.”
Mave tilts her head at me.
“Just out of curiosity, why aren’t you interested in me?”
I rest my head on the backrest. “You’re gorgeous, but I don’t date.
Ever.” I smile wickedly at her. “I fuck women, but not in my own village. Too many complications.” I tighten my lips, contemplating how much to tell her at this early stage of our friendship, but then give her just enough to settle her curiosity.
“Had the love of a good woman once. I lost it. I won’t go down that road again. ”
Her jaw hits the floor.
I tap her chin. “You’ll catch flies if you don’t close that smart mouth.”
She grabs my finger and pushes my hand away. “Fine.”
I wink at her and angle my head in her direction, my own curiosity piqued. “Why aren’t you interested in me?”
“Not interested in dating you,” she corrects me.
“You have to tell me why. We’re friends, and friends tell each other everything.”
“Our friendship stage is still so new that it hardly qualifies for sharing our deepest and darkest secrets, but I suppose my reluctance to date you can’t be qualified as one.”
I raise my eyes, keeping them fixed on the lane in front of me.
“I was involved with someone before I moved here.” I hear her sharp intake of her breath, but I keep my face averted.
“Sounds serious.”
“It was. We were together for three years and were engaged for one of them.”
I grip the steering wheel even harder and clench my jaw.
“But then I found out he was shagging his secretary, and I broke things off with him.”
“Fuck. I’m sorry.” I move my head from the road, needing her to see the sincerity in my eyes. “I really am.”
“I was, too. Heartbroken, really, and then afterwards, I was relieved I didn’t marry him. Still, it was the most horrible way I found out.”
Her voice trails off, and I get a sinking feeling in the pit of my gut.
“You walked in on them, didn’t you?”
“Mm-hmm.” She closes her eyes and shudders. “Enough said about the subject, but just know that I absolutely don’t want romance in my life again. Not for many, many years, at least.”
I release my foot from the brake and put the car in gear.
We sit in silence for the rest of the drive, each lost in our own thoughts.
Full darkness has set in, leaving us safely hidden away in our own little world.
My instincts tell me there must be more to Mave’s story, and that a cheating bastard can’t be the only pivotal thing that drove her to leave Dublin, but I won’t keep chipping away at her armour.
Not tonight, anyway.
“Thank you for trusting me. For telling me what happened.”
“You’re welcome.”
Her voice is thick with emotion.
“Want me to go to Dublin and beat him to a pulp for you?”
Shocked silence vibrates in the air, only then, she snort-laughs, turning all the sadness into dust.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.” She chuckles. “But no, thank you. That won’t be necessary. Colin’s not worth the attention.”
Glad that I’ve managed to turn the sombre mood into a more carefree one again, I turn down the lane to her cottage and come to a full stop. I glance outside, satisfied when I see the lights turn on. Must be motion sensors. I turn the overhead lights on in the cab so I can see Maeve more clearly.
She loosens her seatbelt and tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
“Well, thank you for the lift. Even though I didn’t need it, I’m glad we talked.”
I smirk at her. “So am I. Goodnight, friend.”
She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “Goodnight, Aidan. Thanks again for dinner.” She grabs the container and rattles it slightly. “I’ll bring this back when I come to visit Katie on Sunday.”
“Sure. See you then.”
She gives me one more smile before turning away to open the door.
She slides down from the seat, and I watch her every movement as she shuts the door and rounds the front of the vehicle, somehow unable to tear my eyes away from the way she walks with confidence, her head held high.
A woman’s walk shouldn’t keep me mesmerised, and yet I am.
After she’s pulled the latch on the low picket fence shut, she gives me a wave and walks up the gravelled path and up the two steps to her front door.
Only when she’s safely inside do I turn off the light in my car, put it in gear, and drive back home.
As I do, I tell myself that it’s a good thing I’m no longer attracted to my new friend.
That I’m not going to think about Maeve in a sexual way anymore, especially now that I know how much she got hurt in her last relationship.
It’s just a shame that, deep down, I know that all my reassurances are lies.